Cycling, Fitness and Other Things
Fitness
Softball Game
01426 days
by douglaspaulwade
in Fitness
Tonight, was the first night of softball in the city league. This season, we are playing on Thursday instead of Friday nights. It was most of the same guys and we did well. We won, 24 to 17. I felt good. I was able to run at full speed. I feel my hip is healing. It is a little sore, but not that painful.
I managed to hit a double, two singles, and popped out. I had three RBIs. I felt it was really good to be out there playing. It was warmer than the last time I played, that is for sure, however, the winds were up.
Total Cholesterol Screening
01427 days
by douglaspaulwade
in Fitness
Today, I asked Tracy of Healthwaves to redo my cholesterol after fasting. I did not eat, but I did have 1/2 cup of coffee. My numbers were better. Yesterday I had a lot of activity and was interested in seeing if that made a difference. It is hard to tell. Today, my total cholesterol is 208 (down from 230; desirable less than 200) and my HDL is 71 (down from 76; desirable equal to or greater than 60). My Total/HDL ratio is 2.9 (desirable to be equal or less than 4.0). My ratio is down from 3.0 to 2.9. So the fasting example is better.
Ride, prep for Tour De Sewer
01428 days
Today I took a vacation day from work to get out on the road. I needed to get in a long ride to help prepare me for this Saturday’s 62 mile ride, the Tour De Sewer in Bell Gardens. I have not been on the bike much this year. I think this was my third ride this year. Last Friday I did a 26 miles, and today was almost 45 miles. I got past by a guy named Randy. He is a serious rider, and flew by me. It was warmer than I expected, so I know I was going to stop and get a power drink at the corner store in Leona Valley. When I arrived Randy was there. He mentioned that he would ride with me back down to Highland HS and up 30th West. He did and that helped to pace me. He saw his brother drive back and they stopped to chat, but I kept going.
While I was tired, it did not hurt too much. Overall I am happy with my ride.
Total Cholesterol (non-fasting)
01429 days
by douglaspaulwade
in Fitness
Being a middle aged man, it is important to know your cholesterol. Last year I had a reading of 197 (mg/dL). Normal is less than 200. Today, I had Tracy at Healthwaves prick me and give me some results.
My total Cholesterol is 230 (normal is less than 200)
My HDL Cholesterol is 76 (normal is greater than 40, so my numbers are very good).
My total/HDL Ratio is 3.0. What is desirable is to be equal to or less than 4.0.
So all said, I guess I am doing OK. I plan to ride a long ride tomorrow and I am taking a vacation day from work. However, when I return to work on Wednesday, I plan to have fasted and retest. I will post the difference.
Back in the Saddle
01432 days
Today was a beautiful day. I got off work at noon, came home and got out on the rode bike. In an earlier post, I mentioned that I signed up for a metric century (62 miles). That ride is coming up fast and I have not been on the bike in quite a while. I hurt my hip running, and been swimming, and to be honest it has been too cold to ride. I do not think I rode but once in six weeks. Today it was around 72 degree and NO wind, that was so nice.
Bike Ride – Tour De Sewer
01437 days
by douglaspaulwade
in Cycling
My wife’s cousin Mary-Jo’s husband Jim Pike is a cyclist at or about the same level as me. At family parties, we have talked about doing a ride together. I asked him if he wanted to ride in the Tour De Sewer in Bell Garden’s. It is put on by the Lions Club. he said yes!
I signed up for the 62 miler, or Metric Century. Since, I have not been on the bike in over a month, I have under two weeks to get some miles on my bike.
Been a Little Slow
01438 days
I have not been posting much new information on the site. I want to post about five messages a week. However, there is not much to report that is blog worthy. Febuary has been a slow, cold, and rainy month.
I have not been on the bike in some time. I wanted to get out today, my thoughts were yesterday was such a gorgous day, but I spent it doing yard work. Today started out beautiful and then turned very very windy.
I still not able to run, but feel that I am getting better. I believe it may be a stress fracture. If I run on the track or threadmill, it hurts. If I walk it is not so bad.
I finished a month long (two nights a week) swim lessons. While I learned many things about how to swim better. I really need to spend more time in the pool at getting better. For me it about breathing in water, which I really do not like. If on my free style stroke, I pull strong, I can take in less water, but I tried. The breast stroke is my best. I can do that one for the entire time, but I sense it is not challenging me enough. I not a fan of the back-stroke. It is odd, I seem to slash water up in to my mouth. However, all said and done. I am learning to like swimming. Oh, by the way. I have not learned the flip-turn. I tried but still do not get it.
Walking that is what I do most. I am still at around 16,000 steps and have been very consistent.
New Goal (update)
01445 days
I was talking to Tracy and Mark at work about the amount of miles we are walking when it dawned on me that the sum of the miles could be the virtual distance of walking across America. We are all tracking our steps on WalkerTracker.com and in about of a month of tracking my walking I am about 238 miles. That is the distance from Santa Monica Pier to Blythe (the California border).
To walk across America, I am starting in Santa Monica Pier and ending at Jacksonville Florida. Tracy is walking as a crow flies, but being the geek that I am, I using Google maps. It a distance of 2,429 miles and my goal is 16,000 steps a day or about 8 miles a day. Wow.
To date using WalkerTracker, I have walked about 237 miles in 32 days. So, this is how it looks. I will update the map monthly.
Change to Web and Blog Site
01451 days
by douglaspaulwade
in Fitness
I want to make some design changes to my two sites, my blog and web. I am getting tired of the same design. My web site is a mess. I started to make changes and got distracted, so it is funky. The blog is a mod from a template.
Friday night, I set up the photo lamps and background. Had my daughter take the pictures. I ended up liking one of the photos that I will use on the site. I am getting excited to redo the site, but I have a friends site to finish first.
Slowing Down a Bit
01451 days
The blog has been a little slow on posting. Mostly, because I am not doing a lot activities. Well, I am walking a lot. Check out my stats at walkertracker.com, I am taking my swimming lessons and doing pool time. But, I have not been on the bike (it is too cold). I cannot run (my sore hip). Plus, I just do not want to do much else.
I have been planning some hikes this year, more to come on that here shortly.
